Message to Facebook application users

When DogTime created the Save a Dog and Save a Cat Facebook applications, we had no idea how many people would jump at the chance to use social media to make a difference for homeless animals. Three years later, your collective efforts have generated over $200,000 — each and every click has paid off. And while the actual donations came from DogTime Media and our sponsors, we hope all who used these free applications feel as proud as we do about the contributions given to shelters and rescue groups around the country.

After several months of careful analysis last spring, we learned we could more effectively impact the lives of shelter animals by leveraging social media in a more direct way. In July, when we announced via wall posts and news articles that the apps would be closing, we hoped our most dedicated users would embrace the new direction, knowing that reallocating resources and technology toward our adoption portal would ultimately allow DogTime Media to reach more dogs and cats.

While there is no longer a gaming or point-earning aspect to Save a Dog and Save a Cat, our “favorites” and “sharing” features still allow you to keep up to date with specific animals and leverage social media to make a difference in their lives. You can promote your favorites by posting their photos to pinterest, sharing their stories on Facebook, or both, on twitter. And we strongly encourage you to continue to check the Save a Dog and Save a Cat walls for profiles from our editorial team — and then help spread the word about the pets most urgently in need. In this way, we’ve helped save animals like Sombra, Bundy, and Jack — and there are thousands more who are counting on us.

In addition, DogTime Media will continue to include a donation component as part of every DogTime and CatTime program we offer to our readers — contests, sweepstakes, The Petties, etc. — and we will continue to support shelters and rescues through our various grants programs. (Our most recent $10,000 donation was awarded to Chittenden County Humane Society in Northern Vermont, and we’ll be announcing another grant of that size in the fall.)

These apps were never revenue generators for DogTime Media, but by redirecting resources once used for their maintenance, we can ensure our financial contributions now go even farther. We sincerely hope will join us in this next phase of these efforts.